I have been meaning to do this a long time: to measure how much time it takes to sew a piece of clothing. The sewn meters I have been measuring, but how long does it take for example to make a viking kaftan?Now I know. It takes 41,5 hours.

I made a Valkyria-jacket for Menja. It is purple and water green wool. The pattern is based on Herjolfsnes-dresses. It has four sidegores and one wide gore in the back. Since it is lined, the jacket has 12 long sideseams plus two backgores.

So this is my dress diary:1. day is drew a pattern from Nilles book, and I fitted the jacket to Menja. We made the fitting with the lining, and cut the purplw wool after that. This took 3 hours.2. day: I started sewing the lining, made two long sideseams and sew all the fours sleeves. 4 hours.3. day: the backgore to lining and one sideseam. 2,5 hours.4. day: three sideseams, shoulder seams and ironing the lining. Also two sideseams to upper layer. Pinning the backgore. Totan time this day 5 hours.5. day: sewing backgore and sewing two sideseams. 3,5 hours.6. day: two sideseams. Shoulderseams and ironing. Fitting all the sleeves and attaching them. 5 hours.7. day: Finishing the sleeves. Sewing the neckline and cuffs. Measuring and giving form to the hemline. 5,5 hours.8. day: sewing and finishing the hemline. Finishing the frontpieces. 5.5 hours.9. day: weaving 3,5 meters tablet woven braid to finish the innerpart of the opening. Attaching it. 7,5 hours.All this took 41,5 hours and the kaftan was made.Plus 10. day I ironed it once more.

Why did I measure this? To get some idea how much time it takes. And because I am trying to find that information about how fast tailors were during middle ages and what was their wage. That information is in one of my books, but it needs to be found first… I will return to this matter later.

And then..oh, there is one unfinished viking kaftan waiting for me!

Leveä kuin mekko, mutta kyllä se on takki. It looks like a dress, but it is a jacket.